The protest rally against the illegal exploitation of mineral deposits in Karabakh on the Khankandi-Lachin road has been going on for the ninth day.
According to Report’s employee from the scene, the rally, which began on the morning of December 12, continued all last night.
Despite the cold weather, the participants of the peaceful protest sing the National Anthem of Azerbaijan and chant the slogans ‘Azerbaijan is the master of its mineral resources!’ ‘End environmental crimes!’ ‘Stop ecoterror!’ ‘No to environmental terror!’ etc.
Eco-activists, representatives of civil society and NGOs, students participating in the peaceful protest show perseverance and determination.
At a meeting held on December 19 at the headquarters of Russian peacekeepers, the monitoring group stated that the absence of conditions for monitoring the Gizilbulag and Damirli fields naturally does not suit the protesters, and they will not leave until their demands are met.
As a result of discussions held with the command of the Russian peacekeeping contingent on December 3 and 7, 2022, a team of experts from the Ministry of Economy, the Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources, the State Service for Real Estate Affairs under the Ministry of Economy and AzerGold Closed Joint Stock Company was supposed to conduct preliminary monitoring regarding the illegal exploitation of mineral deposits and the resulting ecological and other consequences in the territories of Azerbaijan, where the Russian peacekeeping contingent is temporarily stationed. However, due to the inactivity of the peacekeepers, the monitoring did not happen.